Welcome
Every year school opening miserable for Benson and Bency, for last 6 years disturbing incidents happened in Kerala-India's most literate and socially developed state. Seven year old Bency and her five year-old brother Benson were refused admission by many schools as they were HIV positive. When they finally managed to secure admission after the state government’s intervention, parents of other students refused to send their children to that school. The Local legislator Prathapa Varma Thampan is one of the vocal supporters of the parents, who threatened to close down the school in case Bency and Benson continued to study there. He criticised human rights activists for 'unnecessarily taking up' this issue. "We are not against education for HIV+ children. But we have to ensure that the disease does not create fear in the minds of other children," Thampan told. Kerala goverment was forced to take the kids out of the school and provide them education at home. The kids were born to K C Chandy and Mary, who had contracted the HIV virus during blood transfusions in a local hospital. The parents died two years ago, leaving Bency and Benson under the care of their grandfather Geevargheese Johnny. Tests revealed the children were also stricken with the HIV virus and failed to get admission in any school.

This was yet another rude reminder of our society’s acute lack of awareness about AIDS and the social stigma that continues to be attached to the disease despite years of education and campaigns. It also raises some worrying questions. If people in a progressive state like Kerala refuse to accept facts about the HIV virus, what can we expected from less developed states, like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa etc. HIV, like jaundice or any other virus, does not spread through physical contact or through saliva, and kids suffering from jaundice or Hepatitis B are not denied school education. Health officials and activists say the shocking tale of Bency and Benson exemplifies the absurd levels of ignorance about HIV and AIDS in a literate state like Kerala.
Past 6 years the debate was continuing, childrens always outside the school. Our society must want a change. we hope this year would get justice for the innocent childreans.
|